PennDOT prepares for winter, expects small ice storms

PennDOT is preparing for a winter that it expects will bring numerous, but small ice storms.

Dawn White
abc27 News

Nov 13, 2017

HARRISBURG – Driving in snow and ice are not exactly pleasant thoughts, but PennDOT is preparing for predictions of lots of small, annoying ice storms this winter.

PennDOT representatives say they’re already well stocked with salt because last winter was not too severe.

“I think we probably have around 60 to 80,000 tons. We have about 78 stockpiles that are spread out through our eight-county area. We replenish salt through the season as we go, but we started off in a pretty good position,” PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny said.

Last year’s winter snow budget was $23.1 million for PennDOT District 8, but only $22 million was spent. District 8 includes Perry, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, York, Adams and Franklin counties.

Plow drivers will be conditioning equipment and doing dry runs of their routes. All drivers will go through a snow academy.

Two major road construction projects are expected to shut down for the winter in early December. Those include Interstate 81 in Cumberland County between Exit 59/Route 581 and Exit 57/Route 114. The other is along I-81 in Dauphin County between Exit 70/the split with Interstate 83 and Exit 72/Mountain Road.

PennDOT encourages you to make sure your vehicle is in good shape for the winter weather and keep an emergency supply ready.